Districts have been assessing ventilation and swapping out filters in air systems, some using internal staff and some hiring outside engineering experts.
Naugatuck hired outside experts. Waterbury used its own staff to inspect its school ventilation systems, which, in the case of its older buildings, is very rudimentary.
Washington Elementary School in Waterbury opened in 1885 — just 20 years after the Civil War. It relies on open windows for its fresh air.
The city has several schools near or over a century in age. It also has four elementary schools built within the past 12 years, with computerized ventilation systems capable of swapping out the building’s air on a programmed schedule. Waterbury is far from alone in having school buildings of varying age and technology.